Xiao Qian, Chinese Ambassador to Australia Photo: Chinese Embassy in Indonesia
Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye previously made a public speech in the French media, saying that if the reunification will “re-educate” Taiwanese people, it has caused a public uproar. When asked regarding this issue in Australia on the 10th, Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian has a slightly euphemistic attitude. , only said that the Taiwanese people should have a correct understanding of China, but also insisted that the future of Taiwan is determined by the 1.4 billion Chinese. However, when Xiao Qian talked regarding Taiwan’s population, he misunderstood the number, saying that Taiwan has a population of 80 million.
When Xiao Qian delivered a speech at the National Press Club in Canberra, when asked by a reporter from the Australian newspaper The Australian, he mentioned the controversy caused by the previous Chinese ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, who claimed that following reunification would “re-educate Taiwanese”, the media Ask Xiao Qian if China wants to “re-educate” Taiwanese as a way to change their perception of the Chinese Communist Party.
Xiao Qian was at a loss for words at first, and then responded, “For decades, the people of Taiwan have been under the rule of the local government, and they may have different views on the ‘motherland’,” and later said, including “80 million Taiwanese.” The 1.4 billion people included are all Chinese. Since Taiwan’s population is only regarding 23 million, Xiao Qian misunderstood the number of Taiwanese in his response.
When the reporter asked whether there would be “re-education”, Xiao Qian took a tactful attitude and said that he had never seen such an official policy.
In addition, Xiao Qian said that the future of Taiwan is determined by 1.4 billion Chinese, and claimed to believe that all Taiwanese consider themselves Chinese.